title: Chinese widowers' self-perception of growth: an exploratory study.
abstract: Presence of growth after traumatic events was introduced to the academic community about a decade ago (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1995). From the conventionally neglected perspective of Chinese widowers, this paper reports seventeen Chinese widowers' views on growth after conjugal loss. Findings seem to suggest that Chinese widowers would define growth as human learning, a definition probably influenced by Confucian teachings. Furthermore, contrary to claims made by Tedeschi and Calhoun (2004), it was found that growth may occur for some individuals without the presence of distress if the individuals have either a stable philosophy of life and death or optimism to buffer their distress or a sense of responsibility to suppress their distress.
authors.affiliation: Lien Centre for Palliative Care, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore, 11 Hospital Drive, Level 4, Singapore 169610. ivan.woo@gms.edu.sg
authors.forename: Ivan Mung Hong
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Cecilia L W
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Amy Y M
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: Rainbow T H
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Ho
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000739:Anecdotes as Topic; D032903:Confucianism; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D006117:Grief; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008132:Loneliness; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012649:Self Concept; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D026712:Value of Life; D017805:Widowhood / Q000523:psychology*